HOLLIS – Beaver Brook Nature Center is continuing its 40-year tradition of welcoming young people to explore, play and learn outdoors during summer. Teaching children about respect for the natural world and cultivating joy from engaging in healthy outdoor activities has been a longstanding goal at Beaver Brook. We offer weeklong sessions around many themes for students ages 4-16.

Many people enjoy being in or near water during the summer. “Water Adventures by Foot & Canoe” is a class that investigates many of the aquatic environments of our region: vernal pools with salamanders and fairy shrimp, the Nissitissit and Squannacook Rivers, Beaver Brook and other tributary streams plus beaver ponds and wetlands. Students get their feet wet, learn all about these different ecosystems and spend a day paddling and picnicking in a canoe. Complete canoe instruction and safety lesson is provided to this class by Nashoba Paddlers. “Water Adventures” is offered July 10-14 for fifth through seventh-graders.

A new class this year for fourth- and fifth-graders is “Kid’s Night Out;” an evening camp that runs from 4-8 p.m. July 10-14. When other Beaver Brook campers head home for the day, this group will be venturing off into the forest for campfires, flashlight games and lots of nighttime exploring! They will count the bats, go on firefly hunts and use a high-powered telescope to find Jupiter and Saturn who are both scheduled to appear during the week! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore Beaver Brook after hours! …and during our daylight time we can still enjoy all the traditional summer fun: splashing in ponds, fishing for crayfish, scavenger hunts and more! Pack a dinner, your flashlight and don’t forget your sense of adventure!

Another new program this summer is “Rock, Paper, Scissors” for students going into fourth and fifth grades. Students will explore many secret features of Beaver Brook with experienced instructor Carol Ritchie including the Rocky Ridge. Make paper from recycled and found materials. Learn to whittle and make your own walking stick. Join us for a SPLASH hike! We have a week filled with lots of fun activities exploring, making and playing! Offered July 24-28.

Also new is “Lip Balm & Lavender,” a class on herbs, wild edibles and challenging your taste buds! Throughout the week students will spend time in the kitchen creating herbal gummy bears, ginger cookies, herbal marshmallows and more. Herbs will be used to make our own dream pillows, compresses and of course Lip-balm! We will indulge of our harvests of each day, finishing off the week with an English tea party in the Maple Hill gardens. Yes, we’ll be on the trails too! This program is not suitable for someone with food allergies. Offered Aug. 7-11 for grades four, five and six.

The fourth new addition this year is “Maker Space in the Woods” which Kathy Parker brings to Beaver Brook. Imagine a place where campers can be as creative as they want in a safe space for kids to experiment and tinker in the woods! Our exciting lab at Beaver Brook will provide a simple, fun way for kids to get involved in Making! With the unstructured time and materials, we offer kids space to solve problems together (maybe even try a breakout!), try new things, and build and create things using natural and recycled materials. For grades: fourth through sixth. Offered June 26-30.

Each week there is something for all ages. Visit our website beaverbrook.org for full information and registration links. Call 465-7787 with questions.

– Submitted by Beaver Brook Association